Al Siddiq International Junior High School is set to make history by holding its first-ever Grand Tahfidz and Academic Graduation Ceremony for its inaugural graduating cohort on 1 June 2026. A total of 17 students will take part in the academic graduation procession, marking the successful completion of their lower secondary education journey.
This occasion is far more than a graduation ceremony; it represents a significant milestone in the development of an educational institution that, within a relatively short period, has demonstrated remarkable growth and achieved numerous accomplishments in academics, character development, and Qur’anic memorisation.
The Head of Al Siddiq International Junior High School stated that the school’s journey since its establishment has been filled with both opportunities and challenges. In its first year, student enrolment was still limited, with approximately 20 students. However, this small number became a strong foundation for building a high-quality, personalised educational culture focused on developing globally minded Muslim generations.
“Our journey began with a small step. Today, we are witnessing how that small step has grown into a remarkable leap of achievement,” he explained.
As part of its commitment to educational excellence, Al Siddiq International Junior High School offers a range of flagship programmes designed to prepare students for the challenges of the modern era while maintaining strong Islamic values. One of these programmes is the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) extracurricular programme, which focuses on strengthening students’ digital and technological literacy.
Through this programme, students are introduced to coding, simple application development, educational game design, and the fundamentals of web development. This approach not only enhances technical skills but also cultivates computational thinking, creativity, and critical thinking from an early age.
Alongside academic development, the Tahfidz programme serves as a central pillar in nurturing students’ character and spirituality. The programme aims for students to memorise a minimum of five juz of the Holy Qur’an during their three years of study. Impressively, several Year 8 students have already exceeded this target and undertaken their Tahfidz assessments ahead of schedule.
The school firmly believes that every child possesses unique potential that should be nurtured and developed. Therefore, education at Al Siddiq International Junior High School is delivered through a personalised and human-centred approach, without imposing a single standard of success on all students.
This philosophy is reflected in the diverse achievements of its students. Many excel in Qur’anic memorisation while simultaneously demonstrating talent in the arts, vocal performance, leadership, and academics. This multidimensional approach has become a distinctive characteristic of student development within the school.
Nevertheless, the quality standards of the Tahfidz programme remain exceptionally rigorous. Every memorisation milestone must pass through structured assessment stages and cannot simply be advanced without thorough evaluation.
“If a student has memorised Juz 30, they must first undergo an assessment. Only after demonstrating strong mastery may they proceed to the next juz. Every stage must be completed thoroughly and with precision (mutqin),” explained the school administration.
This year’s graduation ceremony features several outstanding Tahfidz achievements. One Year 9 student, Kenzie, has successfully memorised eight juz of the Holy Qur’an. Meanwhile, Fruomoasa Karinadia has completed six juz and has undertaken a Tahfidz assessment with the Bekasi City Qur’anic Recitation Development Institute (LPTQ).
Graduates of the Tahfidz programme will be grouped according to their memorisation achievements, ranging from two juz and three juz to higher levels of memorisation. Uniquely, the ceremony will not be merely symbolic; invited guests will have the opportunity to listen directly to a live Tasmi’ recitation performed by one of the students as authentic evidence of their achievement.
In addition to recognising academic and non-academic excellence, the school places significant value on awards that acknowledge students’ effort, character, manners (adab), discipline, perseverance, and personal growth throughout their educational journey.
This inaugural graduation ceremony is expected to serve as both a moment of reflection and a foundation for future progress. With a steadily increasing student population and growing public trust, Al Siddiq International Junior High School remains optimistic about its continued development as a leading educational institution capable of nurturing Qur’anic, high-achieving, and character-driven generations who are prepared to meet global challenges.
This historic occasion reaffirms that every great journey begins with a small step—and today, that small step has transformed into a proud legacy of achievement.
By Retno Suzanne Handayani, S.Pd